What would you like to see in an intermediate knifemaking book?

J

Jason Fry

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Let's say you've watched Forged in Fire and a few Greenpete or Trollsky videos and you want to get serious about the craft. Or, you've made a few dozen (or a few hundred) knives and want to bump up to the next level. Or, you want to hear what some of the "experts" in the field have to say.

What topics would you like to see at an intermediate level, beyond $50 Knife Shop or Barney and Loveless?
 
Watch the Steve Johnson video or the Harvey Dean video.

That stuff in a book would be great.
 
Warning issued 10 points
The chemistry behind metallurgy.
Understanding molecular bonds, and how they develop new materials.

This is a topic that is taken for granted. The depth of scope can stay easy to read but knowing how/why materials interact at the atomic level open doors for creativity.

Cookie cutter knife making guides are not helpful. It's a pass time.
Creating new materials or using materials that were to date unused by modern smiths could open doors to people that never had an interest in smithing.

I remember an old movie about the first Bowie knife. It was made from a meteorite, and created the "best blade metal ever".
That caught my interest as a child, and I still remember it (vaguely).
 
Zombie411 said:
The chemistry behind metallurgy.
Understanding molecular bonds, and how they develop new materials.
Click to expand...

You mean like when Sp2 hybridized carbon atoms approach each other and 2p orbitals approach each other and form two p orbitals?
 
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Sp2 hybridaxation may be beyond the scope of "an easy read"

I was thinking more about saturation levels in molecular bonding and the resulting new materials.
Basic recipes for creating steels, adding carbon to low carbon steels, testing said steels, and the chemistry/physics behind the Rockwell scale.

It's of little value to know that (steel A= given result). No growth in the field happens.
It is a great value to understand how to manipulate steel, and what is actually happening on a molecular level.

This is posted as an "intermediate" level project.
Many new smiths will follow the leader, and hone their building skills. Buying steel is not that same as knowing how to manipulate it, and when/why.
A REAL smith understands the crystalline structure, and grain of the steel. Manipulating the structure of steel sees little discussion or "Air Time".

I think this is a perfect topic for an intermediate smith. Hybridizing atoms? Not so much...
 
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I'd appreciate help on grinding, jigs and techniques that make life easier, design theory and mistakes to prefent.
Mostly explaining how (and why) techniques work, not follow step 1-10 and have a result.
I think chemistry behind metallurgy would be a subject for a book on its own.
Maybe not write a book on knifemaking in general but take a part of it and go deep in to is like

knifeworld_2269_932360
 
don't know if many of us have the equipment to create steel or add carbon or even test. the chemistry/physics has been studied for last 100 years and is all in print. good place to start is here https://www.phase-trans.msm.cam.ac.uk/2004/Bain.Alloying/ecbain.html first published in 1939. for more try https://www.phase-trans.msm.cam.ac.uk/index.html
about the only time we manipulate the structure of steel is during heat treatment, to include warm forming/forging. what happens during heat treat has been studied for last 100 years. I don't care how many times you do it, a piece of 52100(or O1 or 1095 or W2 or any other oil hardening steel) oil quenched from 1500F in 120F oil after 10 minutes at 1500F will have finer grain than a piece quenched from 1600F.

so I guess an intermediate smith needs to start doing their own heat treat. and keep good notes. and find someone with a hardness tester to verify results. then find what works best in your shop with your equipment. OOPS, now I know steel A with heat treat A gives me the best results for a kitchen slicer while same steel with heat treat B gives best result for hard use chopper.
 
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If you want in depth on the technical aspects of steel, go to your local used bookstore and pick up a couple of metallurgy textbooks.
Not the most exciting thing you'll read, but more information than you'll ever have need to use.
Personally I like the very specific books for higher level things.
Damascus steel by Gunther Löbach, handles and guards by Keeslar, ect
Any book that covers a bit of everything will either be basics oriented or big as a New York phone book
 
I often struggle with design, colors or handle materials that go together with certain color or contrasting materials. Some guys seem to have an eye for it, I'm always like, I like black...and black.
 
Surface finishing is a big thing often overlooked.
 
If you want to write a book, think what is your strong point? What are you good at, what are you proud off?
What do people like about your knives?
Then write a book about that aspect of knife making.
 
Tang tapering & subsequent scale fitting.
Warp straightening and prevention techniques.
How to choose the right steel for the application, including cost & simplicity of blade manufacture vs. optimized performance for purpose X.
 
Hengelo_77 said:
If you want to write a book, think what is your strong point? What are you good at, what are you proud off?
What do people like about your knives?
Then write a book about that aspect of knife making.
Click to expand...

I'm a systematic thinker. I like philosophy, and for things to make sense. I strive for excellence.

I think taking one's knifemaking to the next level is as much about determination, philosophy of the craft, and standards as it is the nuts and bolts of hand finish or guard fitting.

There are plenty of how-to books out there, and there's Youtube and the Epic WIP's of the earlier days. This would fill a different hole.
 
Jason, If you are thinking that once a maker has certain basics covered, there needs to be a certain psyche or mindset to strive for the next level, why not interview those who have reached that level? What goes on inside the mind of a Loerchner, Rapp. Fisk or Lake. Do they approach a project differently than a Walker, Quesenberry, Erickson or Dean? What about Eaton, Fuegen, Embretsen or Fogarizzu, do they look at things differently? All of these makers (and this is by no means a comprehensive list) are successful but their knifes all differ from each others. What could their vision and insight teach us?
 
That's along the lines of what I'm thinking, Kevin. My target audience would be the intermediate guys trying to move to the next level. I'm pondering having the main chapters based on perspectives of up-and coming middle men like myself, who have learned some things but not yet cracked the nut. The famous guys don't need the career boost of being featured in a book like us middle men do. I'm thinking sidebar interview perspectives from the famous guys to lend credibility to the project. Still in the brainstorm stages, but I have a decent outline going and some names of men I'd consider involving. I figure to write a few chapters myself, and edit or co-author the rest. Of course lots of people want to have written a book, but few of us actually get one written.
 
maybe a section on choosing direction. one would be production of identical knives using waterjet cut blanks and synthetic handles and using Toyota style industrial practices to increase volume, decrease cost, and at the same time improve quality. a second could be production of 'Spec' knives(example could be a 4" drop point hunter), each shaped by hand, nice to fancy wood or other natural handle, using Toyota style industrial practices to decrease costs and at the same time improve quality. a third could be make to order only, true custom blades, using Toyota style industrial practices to increase volume, decrease cost, and at the same time improve quality.
maybe a section on using Toyota style industrial practices to increase volume, decrease cost, and at the same time improve quality. single piece vs. batch. doing your own HT or sending it out. standardizing suppliers and material. scientific problem solving if there are problems.
 
Jason Fry said:
That's along the lines of what I'm thinking, Kevin. My target audience would be the intermediate guys trying to move to the next level. I'm pondering having the main chapters based on perspectives of up-and coming middle men like myself, who have learned some things but not yet cracked the nut. The famous guys don't need the career boost of being featured in a book like us middle men do. I'm thinking sidebar interview perspectives from the famous guys to lend credibility to the project. Still in the brainstorm stages, but I have a decent outline going and some names of men I'd consider involving. I figure to write a few chapters myself, and edit or co-author the rest. Of course lots of people want to have written a book, but few of us actually get one written.
Click to expand...

Perhaps I define intermediate differently than some.

Do you have some sort of basic foundation or format developed yet?
I am very curious as to what information or topics you may be including.
There are several good suggestions above, and the depth that you could go into is pretty limitless.
Are you considering co/writers to describe certain processes?
 
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